Graceful Landings
by dqmwartist
Summary: Post Fathers & Sons Brian takes off to spend time with Cloud Dancing & clear his head. Colleen begins to deal with growing up and a developing body. Michaela & Sully reflect on how fortunate they are.
1. Chapter 1

Graceful Landings

© 2013 by dqmwartist

Chapter 1: Butterflies

_Sully (to Michaela): "There's only one thing I know about women - you gotta be lucky enough to find the right one, and then never let her go."-Fathers and Sons_

Michaela turned to watch Sully as he retreated into the night. Her lips were still swollen from their passionate kiss. She could still feel the warmth of his body against her skin and the hint of something more. Love with a man used to frighten her, but with Sully she forgot about everything else but his kisses and the tender ways he touched her, igniting fires all over.

Walking over to the rocking chair, she picked up her shawl, and wrapped it around her. The warmth of it helped to replace Sully's absent body heat, as she slowly made her way to bed.

As Michaela lay in bed, wrapped in the warmth of a quilt, she pondered all the things she'd learned from books and those she hadn't. Books taught her to be a doctor, but it was the experience that made her into the person she was. Love, the beautiful emotion she found coursing through her daily for Sully, wasn't found in a book.

Closing her eyes, Michaela let sleep overtake her as she dreamed of where life had brought her up until now. How sometimes in life, those things that weren't planned brought the most joy. Even what you read and learned in a book couldn't compare to experience.

Sully could still smell the scent of roses in the air as he walked back to his lean-to. He could drown himself in Michaela's scent any day, wanting more than anything to linger. The look on her face as he'd pulled away from the kiss made him want make love to her right then and there. But it wasn't the time or the place for enthusiasm just yet.

He and Michaela had had their differences recently about teaching Brian the birds and the bees. While Sully had been more relaxed in his approach giving Brian the reins, Michaela seemed to want to give him a scientific explanation. In the end he was sure Brian had gotten more than an earful.

Sully had even told her that, _"Not everythin' ya need to know comes from a book."_ Michaela's face had flushed pink at his words, making her even more desirable. He was lucky to have found Michaela, to be able to share life and enthusiasm with her.

When he reached his lean to, he hunkered down to light his campfire, and then settled back into the relative confines of the structure, staring into the flames. Sully waited for the flames to lull him into sleep and dreams of his Heartsong.

Colleen stared in the mirror as she brushed through her long hair, reflecting on how much her body was changing. She was developing a chest where her girlfriends didn't have one yet, and boys were noticing. That made her uncomfortable at times and even more so when it was her own brother. Boys weren't something she was interested in right now. Someday she wanted to marry, but she dreamed of having a man like Sully.

Putting down her brush, Colleen gathered up her things and slipped in a book she had purchased from Mr. Bray. Colleen liked to read at lunch when there was time, rather than run around with everyone else. After school she was always busy with her Ma, another activity she very much enjoyed.

Colleen was also thankful to have Becky as a confident; they'd had their ups and downs but emerged stronger than before. Becky didn't get the attention that Colleen did, but she seemed more interested in boys. She was her best friend, the one who always listened and never laughed like Alice.

During lunch, Colleen enjoyed the uninterrupted solace of her book, while Becky looked over the meadow at the boys playing ball. Brian was out there playing and she could hear his voice cheering every once in a while. Before too long the bell rang and they all filed back inside.

After school was over, Brian was waiting for her outside. They had had their share of ups and downs recently too, and even with being forced to talk, Colleen had to admit it was nice to have her brother back. Even though he could be a pain, she still loved him.

"Tell Ma I'm goin' fishin' with Sully. I'll be home for dinner."

"Ok, I'll tell her," Colleen answered as she watched Brian smile before taking off. His books still slung over his shoulder as he got further away and disappeared through the trees.

Once at the clinic, Dr. Mike was busy rolling bandages as Matthew came in with a box of supplies to unload. "This just came for ya, told Horace I'd bring it over." He set the heavy crate on the examining table before departing. Colleen quickly forgot about the message she was supposed to deliver as the rush of the afternoon came and went.

With supplies to unload, bandages to roll, and patients coming and going, Colleen was exhausted by day's end. She loved the busyness of the clinic, but on school nights it was hard to keep her eyes open to do her work after long days. There were some nights when Dr. Mike found her sleeping on her books at the table from studying all night.

"Time to close up," Michaela called out as the five o' clock hour struck. Colleen finished what she was doing, grabbed her books and left the clinic with Dr. Mike.

Sully was seated on the porch waiting for Michaela to return home, Wolf by his side. He'd caught several fish for dinner. Brian was supposed to have joined them but he never showed and Sully was worried.

Relief flooded through him when he heard the wagon approaching, replaced by anxiety when he saw Brian wasn't with them. Where had he gone? Surely he wasn't running away again?

Michaela's cheeks flushed at the sight of Sully, as her thoughts drifted ever so briefly to their kiss the night before. "Is something the matter?" she asked after Sully helped her down from the wagon. She had noticed something troubling in his eyes. "Brian was supposed to go fishin' with me today, but he didn't show."

"Oh, no!" Colleen gasped, "I was supposed to tell you that he was going fishing today, so sorry I forgot." Michaela looked over at Colleen's troubled face and back at Sully. Wherever Brian was he hadn't gone fishing like he said.

"I'll go look for him," Sully volunteered, "You stay here in case he returns while I'm gone." Michaela nodded, as Colleen gathered the fish and disappeared into the house to prepare dinner. Wolf followed Sully, as Michaela watched them both disappear from sight before she turned and headed inside.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Sanctuary

Brian seated himself next to Cloud Dancing inside his teepee. He had shed his coat and shirt from all the heat generated inside. After leaving school and telling Colleen he was going fishing, Brian had instead found his way to the reservation.

His time with Loren in the woods fighting off a bear and what he learned from Sully & Dr. Mike had filled his mind with so much information; there were times when he felt he couldn't process it all. On a whim he had decided to seek out Cloud Dancing for advice.

As a kid being a Cheyenne had fascinated him to no end. He loved Sully's tomahawk and secretly wanted one of his own. His Ma had loved Indians, but it wasn't until Dr. Mike came, when he really got to know them.

"Does Dr. Mike know you are here?" Cloud Dancing asked as he turned to Brian, looking down into his face. Brian looked up and shook his head; no one knew where he was. They all thought he'd gone fishing with Sully. "Someone should tell her, she will worry."

Brian feared her finding out, knowing that she would try to bring him home again. All he wanted was some peace, to clear his thoughts, before moving on. His head was filled with too much noise. Brian wanted it all to stop.

Cloud Dancing turned back to Brian, after a brave had ridden off to find Dr. Mike. He knew something was troubling the boy and wondered what that might be. Brian was growing up and it reminded him of Matthew and Sully as they grew through a vision quest. Part of him wasn't sure Michaela could sit through another quest with her second son.

Brian looked down at the steam rising from the rocks as if looking for answers; a moment later he murmured, "I just wanted to know about girls, and now there's too much in my head. Can you make it stop?" Cloud Dancing smiled, Brian was growing up, and thoughts of girls were hard to stop. He would do his best to "stop the noise."

Taking the boy's hand, Cloud Dancing lead them out of his teepee into an open clearing where the sun shone down and the beauty of nature surrounded them.

Sully didn't get far when he noticed to two figures through the trees. Slipping off his horse, he crept closer trying not to make a sound. As he approached he heard the familiar voices of Brian and Cloud Dancing speaking. Smiling, he stopped to listen, as it seemed Brian was gaining more wisdom.

"All males struggle with females, my young friend. They will always do things to confuse you. It is in their nature. It is how they keep us pursuing them."

"That so?" Brian looked up questioning what he had been told. Girls being confusing didn't quite sit with him yet, he did find them fascinating.

"Yes, and now I will tell you a story."

Brian listened intently to all that he was told, even listening to the stories about the world around him. He looked around him at the mountains, the trees, the deep blue sky, the hawk flying in the air and even the distant cry of a coyote. Everything around him held a natural beauty and he was in awe with a hint of peace creeping in to stay.

"You have been given much good advice. Now you must be observant and learn from those in your life – Sully, Matthew. But you must understand, you will be learning and gaining wisdom your whole life. It is not something you can learn in one day."

Brian looked down at his shoes a moment before nodding in agreement. Learning about girls was hard work, not to mention exhausting. "Thanks, Cloud Dancing."

"You are welcome. Shall we go now or sit a while?"

"Sit," Brian replied not wanting to leave just yet. He was enjoying the peaceful calm of nature and the effect it had on him.

Sully watched for a moment longer before quietly turning and disappearing into the woods. He'd seen enough to know Brian was in good hands and would be just fine.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Give and Take

Colleen was just finishing up the fish for dinner, when she turned at the sound of a horse approaching. Her heart soared for a moment thinking Sully had come back with Brian. But as soon as a knock sounded on the door, her hopes were dashed.

She watched as Dr. Mike opened the door to find a brave standing there, calm and serene. His face showed no emotion as he spoke, "Your son is with Cloud Dancing. He is safe." A beat later he turned and headed back to his horse.

Michaela wanted very much to question the Indian, but she knew the consequences. Last time she tried that she was told to stay away when Matthew had been on his vision quest. She had been fraught with worry so much so that she had ridden out to see Matthew. Only something changed that day and rather than rushing forward to save him, she turned back.

"Is he really ok?" Colleen asked in a rush as she set down the platter of fish on the table. "I don't want anything bad to happen to him."

"Me either, and yes he'll be fine. Trust Cloud Dancing to make sure he is safe." Michaela walked over and hugged her daughter close, blessed that she had someone else to come talk with her when things were tough.

Colleen was still worried when she pulled away from the safety of her Ma's arms, but Dr. Mike was right. Brian would be fine and she ought to put her trust in Cloud Dancing. He was a friend too and had never let any of them down.

When a second knock sounded, Colleen dared to hope again that this time it would be Brian. Only they were dashed again; it was just Sully and he was alone.

Sully could sense the anticipation the moment he entered the room, each woman worried about Brian and wanting to know that he would be alright. "Don't worry, he's with Cloud Dancin'. "

"I know," Michael answered, "Yet the mother in me does worry." Sully smiled, coming closer before placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Dinner smells wonderful, Colleen," Colleen blushed a little, smiled and gave her thanks. She was doing her best not to worry either and appreciated all Sully did for them.

Colleen rose early the next morning to start her chores before school. She gathered eggs, milked the cow, fed the horses, before going back inside to cook breakfast. Matthew had decided to stay in town with Ingrid for the night and it was only her and Dr. Mike at home. Sully had left after a wonderful dinner.

At school Colleen did her best to concentrate on the day's lessons, but her mind kept wandering. Brian wasn't there and she was still worried about him. Staring down at her math figures she tried her best to work through them.

Colleen spent most of her recess under the kissing tree reading the latest weekly story and saying silent prayers for Brian. She enjoyed reading stories that took her to faraway places or even letting her escape reality for a bit. While her reading didn't completely distract her, she appreciated the solace the tree's shade offered her.

By the time school was over, Colleen was ready for a bustling afternoon at the clinic; well at least she hoped it would be that way. Letting herself in, she hung up her shawl, set down her books, and grabbed an apron. While she tied it, Dr. Mike started speaking to her about something that she half listened to. "Brian should be here," she thought to herself, I miss him."

"Colleen, I know you are worried, I am too. As much as we both want to rush off and save Brian, there are some things he needs to figure out on his own." Michaela hoped her words got through. She was concerned as much as Colleen was but tried not to show it in front of her.

Colleen looked up with a meek smile at Dr. Mike trying to pretend she'd heard everything that was just spoken. "I've been prayin' that he's ok," Colleen added as she smoothed her apron to keep back any emotions from showing.

Michaela walked over, and placed her hands on Colleen's shoulders, "Everything's going to be fine." Colleen nodded before asking what she could do. Keeping herself busy with something seemed best to get her mind off things.

Brian gathered up the little he had with him when he'd left town the day before, grabbed his coat and headed out of the teepee. Spending all that time in nature with Cloud Dancing had done him a world of good. All the voices in his head had gone from loud to near silent. After a while all he heard was the sounds of nature, birds, the wind, coyotes howling, etc.

He found Cloud Dancing around a fire and bid him a fond farewell before heading into the woods for home. Along the way he passed the creek where he enjoyed fishing. At the water's edge, Brian picked up some rocks which he proceeded to skip across the pond. Each throw created ripples through the pond that seemed to stretch for miles.

Brian soon found himself looking for a stick and some bait to throw into the water. Once he had his line baited and thrown in, Brian sat down on the bank to watch the water flow by. It was very peaceful in the morning and again he found himself listening to the sounds of nature. This time he also heard the sounds of deer moving through the woods and frogs croaking to each other. He got so caught up in the sounds that he almost missed the pull on his line.

Brian steadied himself quickly, nearly landing face first in the water as he worked to gain control and reel the fish in. "Steady now," he called out softly once he had things under control, just before he gradually pulled a big fish out of the water. It's flapping knocked Brian flat on the ground with it on top, giving him great access to grab the fish with both hands. It took some doing but once the fish quit fighting; Brian tied it up and headed home.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Home Again

Sully was sitting on the steps with Wolf by his side when he heard footsteps. They were small and dragged a little bit. Smiling to himself, he looked up and saw Brian coming up the path carrying a large fish. He was pleased to see him again and seeming more peaceful than he had been before he left.

"Hey, Sully," Brian called out as he got closer to the homestead. "Look what I caught, a big ole trout." He smiled proudly; holding the fish up in the air as if he'd just won a prize.

"What'd ya say we fry that up for dinner?" Sully asked with a twinkle in his eye. "Sure thing." Brian beamed before handing off the fish to Sully so he could relieve himself of the books he carried and his jacket too. Moments later he was back outside and helping to clean and scale the fish for dinner.

Sully knew Michaela would want to know about Brian's stay with Cloud Dancing, but as a man he knew not to pry. When Brian was ready he would talk and share what he'd learned. In the meantime he watched Brian work diligently and heard the story of how he'd caught the fish earlier that day. With a fish as big as this one was, it was a wonder it hadn't pulled Brian in with it. He was glad Brian had fought the strength of the fish and won the battle.

Just as Brian was finishing up with the fish, Michaela pulled up in the wagon with Colleen by her side. Sully could see the worry in their faces, quickly replaced by joy when they noticed Brian had returned. Colleen wasted no time in scrambling down from the wagon and flying towards her little brother.

Michaela watched the happy reunion as Sully made his way towards her. "Came home this afternoon, seems in good spirits." He then helped Michaela down from the wagon.

"Thank you for being here when he arrived." Sully smiled his acknowledgement and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. "I'm glad he's alright," Michaela added, grateful that Brian had returned home again. She had been worried and admitted as much to Sully as they walked into the homestead. "Me too, its nice ta see him back."

Brian was busy showing Colleen the fish he'd prepared for her cook when they walked in; Matthew followed moments later, relieved to see his little brother back again. "Hey, Matthew, look what I caught today! Fish was so big it almost pulled me in the water with it," Brian recounted proudly as if he'd become a man overnight.

Matthew gave him a pat on the back, "Looks good, proud of you for holding on." Brian beamed up at his brother and then over at his sister, before taking off to the barn to feed the horses.

Dinner passed by with the usual chatter and added stories from Brian of his fishing adventures. The trout was delicious and everything Colleen fixed to go with it tasted just as good. Michaela was grateful to have such a good cook to learn from. She was also pleased to have her family back under one roof again.

Colleen rose early again the next morning to get her chores done and hopefully see Becky before school started. She hadn't been paying much attention to the math yesterday and hoped deep down that her friend had been. Becky was great about covering for her and Colleen returned the favor whenever she could.

Just inside the barn, Colleen retrieved the silver bucket for milking and the stool before making her way over to the cow. The animal was happily chewing her cud when Colleen arrived, and she gave her a pat as she began the milking. Colleen wasn't too far in the milking when she felt that all too familiar wetness sliding down her legs.

Colleen let out a sigh before continuing with the milking. She might be inconvenienced but wasn't going to let their cow suffer any longer. By the time she was done the cow seemed in good spirits and Colleen felt like a river had run down her legs.

Growing up was hard and as much as she wanted to get married and have babies, becoming a woman wasn't fun. Becky was the only one who understood what Colleen was going through with growing up. Except for all the boys beginning to stare at her in ways that made her skin crawl.

Colleen picked up the bucket & stool, leaving the stool where she found it and lugged the bucket into the house. Once she was done, she took care of her own small problem. She was so embarrassed by these things happening that when they did she made sure she was a safe distance away so no one would see her. Last thing she wanted was someone spying on her.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Matters of Womanhood

"Hey, Becky," Colleen called out as she approached the school house with Brian in tow beside her.

"Hey, Colleen," Becky called back as she began to make her way towards her friend. "What's up?"

"Can we talk?" Colleen asked quietly so as not to draw too much attention to herself. "Sure," Becky replied as Colleen led her off towards the kissing tree. When they arrived Colleen asked about the math and was grateful to Becky for paying attention and filling her in on what she didn't understand. Normally she was good at math but yesterday just wasn't one of those days.

"Thanks so much, Becky. I'm awful grateful to you."

"It's no trouble, Colleen. Happy to help," Becky answered with a smile before getting up to head back to the school house.

"Wait," Colleen called up to her friend, placing her hand on her arm, "There's something else." Becky turned to her friend, noting how upset she seemed all of a sudden.

Colleen felt embarrassed talking about her womanly problems to her friend and even more so with how the boys were acting around her. It wasn't all that long ago when a boy nearly came between them. And well Becky could also understand about younger siblings trying to spy on you.

"It's the boys; you ever find them looking at you all funny like?" Colleen asked meekly, embarrassed by asking such a question. "No, but there's one I wouldn't mind having look at me," Becky replied with a blush.

Colleen smiled briefly, "They keep gawking at me and it's uncomfortable. I want a man to look me in the face not at my…." She trailed off looking down at the blades of grass.

"It's not right," Becky answered firmly, "They shouldn't be looking there. Goodness knows I wouldn't want a boy looking at me there either. Best tell 'em to look you in the eye."

"No it's not and thanks for letting me talk to you about it," Colleen answered feeling somewhat comforted by her friend's words. "You're welcome." Becky gave Colleen a quick hug before they turned and headed back up to school as the bell sounded.

Colleen couldn't wait for school to end and when the last bell sounded she was out the door and walking as fast as she could towards the clinic.

Michaela was deep in paperwork when Colleen flew through the door, shutting it firmly behind her. She looked up, startled at the noise, but soon noticed the distress on Colleen's face and the tears in her eyes. "Ma," Colleen squeaked out just before she was enveloped in a hug. It was then that she let the tears fall freely down her face.

"Colleen, what's the matter sweetheart?" Michaela immediately got up and made her way towards Colleen.

Michaela held Colleen close, soothing her as best she could. There weren't many days when she'd come running to her with such distress. Or even moments when she'd go after a sobbing daughter. Alice had been the cause of sorrow before, only this time Michaela sensed it might be something else.

Colleen managed to get her emotions under control enough to speak, "It's the boys at school. They keep lookin' at me funny and today they teased me so badly," she sniffed. "I just want to be their friend and all they can do is look at my…, it's so embarassin'."

"Oh, Colleen, I'm so sorry this is happening to you," Michaela spoke in hushed comforting tones. She realized that she had been so pre-occupied with what Brian was going through with growing up that she'd nearly forgotten that Colleen was going through changes as well.

"What do I do about it?" Colleen asked, pulling away from her Ma's arms for a moment.

Michaela didn't want to tell Colleen that all boys liked to peak at girls, as Sully had once told her. Instead she settled for some advice she thought would be helpful. "Don't pay any attention to them. You are a beautiful young lady who deserves to be treated with respect. The ones who treat you right are worth hanging on to."

"Thanks, Ma," Colleen replied as she dried her tears and blew her nose. Gone seemed to be the days when she could talk to a boy without any awkward stares. Now they seemed more interested in her body than the person she was. Dr. Mike was right and she felt better letting her feelings be known and receiving some great advice in return.

Colleen removed her coat, hung it up, and gathered up her scattered books, before putting on an apron to help in the clinic. She thoroughly enjoyed learning all she could from Dr. Mike and just being able to help out daily was a blessing. There was no greater joy for her right now than helping others.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: All Yours

Michaela laid her head gently on Sully's shoulder as she gazed up at the stars above, each one a tiny bright light that seemed to light up the sky. Living in the city hadn't afforded her the luxury of a beautiful sky. Being with a man who appreciated nature so much had really opened her eyes.

"Thanks for lettin' me take ya out ta-day," Sully murmured against her long auburn hair. "You're welcome," she answered softly, still mesmerized by the sky. "I enjoyed every moment of it." Michaela rarely let herself take a break from her doctoring, but somehow Sully had convinced her just to take one day off. She was reluctant at first but glad in the end that she had taken that break.

All that Sully had taught her and shown her over their time together was special. Sully was right about not having everything you needed to learn come from a book. There was no book when it came to moving west to start a new life, or a book on how to raise children. She had learned the hard way how to parent and starting her life in Colorado Springs hadn't been easy.

Falling in love wasn't something you found in the text of a book either, but even so it had its own story. Michaela's life with Sully was just beginning with a ready-made family bound together with love. Early on he'd always been there for her and the children, and now she couldn't imagine her life without him.

Sully inhaled the scent of roses that lingered in Michaela's hair. He'd once complained of the sweet smelling soap she used, now he loved being near her just so he could get a whiff. Loving her filled him with feelings he couldn't put into words and a life without her was unimaginable.

Sully loved being able to bring her places deep in the woods where no one but wildlife traveled. Just today they'd found a waterfall with the sun shining down just right, and a doe with her fawns nibbling on the grass nearby. The Cheyenne had taught him a lot about Nature and he was grateful to them for the lessons learned.

Without the Cheyenne he might not be here staring up at the stars with his heart-song. Falling in love wasn't in his plans, not until he'd laid eyes on her in town the day she arrived. Spirits had their ways of working things out in life whether they made any sense or not. And right now he was where he wanted to be.

Michaela turned to Sully, "Think we'd be missed if we didn't go home tonight?" There was a twinkle in her eye as she spoke, and Sully didn't miss the shiver that ran down her back. "Probably, but they'd understand," Sully replied as he reached for an extra blanket to cover Michaela's shoulders.

Michaela leaned into Sully, letting him take her with him so they were lying on the ground with a full view of the stars above. "Sully, I want to thank you for being there when Brian ran away from growing up. He seems like a new person now that he's gotten so much knowledge."

"You're welcome," Sully replied as he reached for her hand, holding it in his own. "Brian's gonna be just fine. He knows he's got men 'round he can talk to when he needs to. "

I only hope I've passed some of that onto Colleen."

What's goin' on with Colleen?"

"I'm glad of that. She's growing up Sully, her body is changing and some of those changes are making her uncomfortable around boys." Sully wanted to smile after telling Michaela how all boys like to take peeks at girls, but this wasn't the time or the place for a grin.

Sully was curious, "What'd ya tell her?"

"I told her not to pay attention to them, that she was a beautiful young lady and the men who treated her with respect were worth holding on to." Michaela turned from looking at the stars to Sully, meeting his gaze full on in the moonlight.

"Sounds like great advice," Sully answered in a whisper before rolling over and placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "You know what," Michaela murmured softly as their kiss parted, "I'm lucky to have found the right man and I'm not letting him go." Sully smiled as he pulled her close, never wanting to let go of the woman he'd found.


End file.
